Who were the winners and losers from the busy festive period in Britain and Ireland?

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The post-Christmas period is always a busy one for racing with festivals at both Kempton and Leopardstown in addition to top-class action from the likes of Chepstow, Limerick and Newbury. Here we look who enjoyed a successful festive spell and those who did not.

The winners

Gordon Elliott

Gordon Elliott has had to play second fiddle to Willie Mullins 13 times in Ireland's trainers' championship, but he was undoubtedly on top over the Christmas period and holds a healthy lead in this season's tussle. 

The trainer is aware the balance may shift in the spring but is entitled to celebrate a remarkable run, which included a 6,781-1 six-timer on Friday, headlined by victory for Romeo Coolio in a Grade 1 novice chase.

Gordon Elliott: cleaned up over ChristmasCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

He then added five winners on Saturday at 337,679-1 and landed a Grade 1 with Teahupoo on Sunday before starting this week with a bang, courtesy of another five-timer and victory for the promising mare Wodhooh.

Rebecca Curtis

Trainer Rebecca Curtis would be forgiven for feeling a little despondent at Haydock last month, when her stable star Haiti Couleurs failed to fire in the Betfair Chase, but she was soon rewarded for keeping the faith. 

Rebecca Curtis with Sean Bowen after Haiti Couleurs' victory in the Welsh NationalCredit: Steve Davies (racingmediapics.co.uk)

The eight-year-old defied the largest weight in Welsh Grand National history with a faultless round of jumping on Saturday to reaffirm his position as one of Britain's leading staying chasers and Gold Cup candidates.

His victory capped a sensational year, which also included victories in the National Hunt Chase and Irish Grand National, and there is the potential for even greater success for Haiti Couleurs and his trainer in March.

Ben Pauling

There are few more upwardly mobile yards in Britain than Ben Pauling's, and the trainer recorded his biggest success when landing the King George VI Chase with The Jukebox Man at Kempton on Boxing Day. 

Ben Pauling: King George-winning trainerCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Owned by Harry Redknapp, The Jukebox Man narrowly denied Banbridge in an all-time classic and was cut to a single-figure price for the Gold Cup, behind only Galopin Des Champs and Inothewayurthinkin in the betting.

His trainer is one winner away from equalling his best ever monthly return and has a talented squad to keep the momentum going next year, including Mambonumberfive, winner of the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase.

Kempton racecourse

The future of Kempton is uncertain after it was revealed in the build-up to Boxing Day, its biggest fixture of the year, that the Jockey Club had in 2018 given developer Redrow an option to take control of the site.

Kempton: attracted big crowds for its two-day Christmas fixtureCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

In 2017, the Jockey Club said it intended to sell the track, which was met with widespread opposition from racing's participants and local communities, and the project appeared to have been shelved in 2020. 

The track's future may once again be in doubt, but there was a timely reminder last week of its ability to draw a crowd, with 17,195 spectators, an uplift of 3,332 compared to last year, on hand to cheer home The Jukebox Man and his popular owner. The epic conclusion to the Christmas highlight also showed exactly the sort of contest the track's topography can throw up at its very best, and what might be lost if the King George takes place elsewhere.

Sam Ewing

The young rider enjoyed a fabulous festive period at Leopardstown, including major Grade 1 wins on Solness and Affordale Fury.

Often the number two to Jack Kennedy at Gordon Elliott's yard, Ewing showed why he is a force to be reckoned with in his own right with a host of accomplished rides across the track's four-day meeting.

Sam Ewing celebrates after winning the Grade 1 Savills Chase on Affordale FuryCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He also scooped a maiden hurdle on Hardy Stuff and the valuable Paddy Power Chase with a positive ride on Favori De Champdou, and things could have got even better had Talk The Talk not fallen at the last in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle. 

While fortunate to deputise for JJ Slevin on Solness and Donagh Meyler on Affordale Fury, Ewing certainly showed what he was made of.

The losers

Willie Mullins

Reaching double figures over the festive period, including three Grade 1 winners, would be a humungous achievement for anyone else. 

However, there was still a sense of what could have been when Mullins was interviewed at Leopardstown on Monday, and that is because his standards are just that much higher than everyone else.

Willie Mullins: had to play second fiddle to Gordon Elliott over ChristmasCredit: Edward Whitaker

He couldn't field anything to threaten Romeo Coolio, Fact To File was disappointing in the King George, Majborough's jumping let him down again and both Le Divin Enfant and Love Me Tender failed to live up to their billings.

A sentiment compounded by the fact his main championship rival Elliott had such a good week, Mullins will want to come out firing on all cylinders at the Dublin Racing Festival. And he usually does.

Mark Walsh

JP McManus's leading rider had a Leopardstown festival to forget.

Walsh failed to get on the scoresheet from his 11 rides, with high-profile mounts like Majborough, Love Me Tender, Mystical Power and crucially Inothewayurthinkin all failing to deliver the goods.

Mark Walsh: no winners over ChristmasCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The latter was particularly disappointing. The Gold Cup winner drifted dramatically in the market beforehand and never looked to be travelling with any zest, eventually plodding home to finish 41 lengths behind Affordale Fury.

To add further frustration, Lovely Hurling, Shuffle The Deck and Fierce Handay all came up short while running well, and Walsh will be hoping for a turnaround in fortunes before too long.

Donagh Meyler

Spare a thought for Affordale Fury's regular rider Donagh Meyler, who had been on board for his last four runs. 

Meyler was unable to ride this time due to suspension, but was still a key figure in the success as he encouraged connections to adopt more forceful tactics just moments before the race. 

Donagh Meyler: missed the ride on Affordale FuryCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The switch to front-running clearly helped the seven-year-old find a deadly rhythm in the Savills Chase, and he had enough in reserve to repel the late challenges of I Am Maximus and Galopin Des Champs.

Meyler will be back on Affordale Fury in the future, but he missed what could have been a massive day in his career.

The Jockey Club

Ticket sales may have been positive for the Jockey Club as Kempton welcomed raucous crowds, but that does not tell the whole story.

The deal with Redrow was made public in the fortnight beforehand, and opposition to the course's potential closure will surely only mount after the action on the track, headlined by a classic King George, delivered in spades.

Aintree was speculated as a potential host of future King Georges, but its Boxing Day meeting was marred by low sun and it was certainly a case of 'here's what you would be missing' when viewing the action at Kempton on the same afternoon.

Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls are among those who have already spoken out against the sale of the track and, while racing at Kempton goes ahead as planned for now, those voices will surely only increase in volume as uncertainty continues to reign.

Read these next:

Gordon Elliott to aim big team at Dublin Racing Festival - but still says he has 'no chance' of toppling Willie Mullins 

'Stuff of dreams' for Sam Ewing and Noel Meade as Affordale Fury lands major gamble with defeat of Galopin Des Champs 

'This really tops things off' - Sean Bowen's dream run continues as he guides Haiti Couleurs to record weight-carrying win 

'I love the game so much' - Harry Redknapp in dreamland as The Jukebox Man wins King George for the ages 

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